Sour Milk Devil's Food Cake
Submitted by roses16914
Rich devil’s food cake made with sour milk and brown sugar, layered with chocolate fudge frosting studded with raisins. Moist, deep chocolate flavor from an old-school recipe.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
45 minThis is Depression-era baking wisdom: use what you have (sour milk or whey), add cocoa for that deep chocolate punch, and brown sugar for richness without extra cost.
The sour milk reacts with baking soda to create a tender, moist crumb that stays soft for days. Cocoa brings intense chocolate flavor without melting chocolate, and brown sugar adds molasses notes.
Bake it in two layers, let them cool, then sandwich with chocolate fudge frosting mixed with chopped raisins for little pockets of chewy sweetness. Old recipe, timeless results.
Pro Tips
- Make sour milk by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk and letting it sit 5 minutes
- Let batter rest a few minutes before baking for better texture, just like the recipe says
- Don’t overbake or you’ll lose that signature moisture; test at 18 minutes
- Sift the cocoa with the dry ingredients to avoid lumps in your batter
- Cool layers completely before frosting or the icing will slide off
Ingredients
Directions
Cream sugar and shortening.
Add eggs and beat thoroughly. Add flavoring.
Sift flour, measure, and sift with baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, and salt.
Add dry ingredients alternately with whey or sour milk to first mixture.
Blend thoroughly but lightly. Allow to stand a few minutes.
Pour into well-oiled layer cake pans.
Bake in moderate oven at 375℉ (190℃) F about 20 minutes.
Put layers together with chocolate fudge icing containing chopped raisins.
Comments
This cake is extremely dry. Is the amount of shortening correct?
I need an answer before I try it again. Comments ?
The sour milk is what gives it the moisture. My granny use to make it. When the milk goe sour, you can make CAKE.
Can you use oil or butter instead of shortening?